A too busy woman in her 40's who is juggling family and careers and faith and community and wishes she had more time to write - this is me attempting to make my wish come true!

Monday, July 18, 2011

'Remember to smile' and other wise words from Madiba

Today, South Africans and the world are celebrating Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday. The former president of South Africa, who dedicated his life to the fight against inequality and his home country's apartheid system has, over the years, given the world many inspiring words of wisdom. Here are just a few of his great quotes:

"I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death."

"I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying."

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

"A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special."

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."

"I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended."

"One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others."

"Courage is not the absence of fear — it s inspiring others to move beyond it."

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

"Appearances matter — and remember to smile."

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb."

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."